Applications are now

being accepted for the 2016

Master Watershed Steward
Program. Master Watershed
Stewards receive 40 hours of
training on topics including
water quality, stream health,
native plants, recreational
resources, and groundwater.
The 2016 Master Watershed
Steward training program
starts Wednesday, March 9th
and continues on subsequent
Wednesdays from 6pm to
8:30pm through mid-June.
The course also includes
three hands-on Saturday field
trips. Classes will be held at
partnering
environmental
organizations throughout the
Lehigh Valley. For more
information about the Master
Watershed Steward Program
or to request an application
for the 2016 training
program, contact Erin Frederick at 610-391-9840 or
elf145@psu.edu. Applications are due by January 8th.
Two information sessions
will be offered: January 13th,
from 6:30pm to to 8:30pm at
the Lehigh County Agricultural Center, and January
27th at Illick's Mill in Bethlehem from 6:30pm to 8:30pm.
Little Creek Bar-B-Cue,
located at 1004 Washington
Blvd., in Bangor, is holding
a benefit for Daniele
Demler on January 24th,
from 12pm to 6pm. Eighty
percent of the days profits
will benefit Daniele Demler,
former Slate Belt resident
who was severely injured in
October when she was struck
by a motorcycle. For more
information, call Little Creek
Bar-B-Cue at 610-588-3831.
Slate Belt Health and
Rehabilitation is looking

for volunteers. If you enjoy

talking, singing, dancing,
exercising, reading, and
more, and would like to share
your gifts with the residents,
stop by 701 Slate Belt Boulevard in Bangor for an application, or call 610-588-6161.
Volunteers must be at least
16 years old.
The Ladies Auxiliary of
the Mt. Bethel Volunteer
Fire Company is seeking
new members and volunteers. If you are interested
and would like further information, contact Gail at 570897-6293 or Kris at 610392-7975.
St. Johns Cemetery is
seeking donations to help
with the upkeep of the cemetery, roadways and monuments. They are also exploring the idea of adding a Community Columbarium near
the mosoleum. Donations can
be sent to Carol Hummel c/o
St. Johns Cemetery, 136
Messinger Street, Bangor,
PA 18013.
The Slate Belt Heritage
Center Oral History Project is seeking Slate Belt
senior citizens who would
like to be interviewed. If
you know of anyone who has
a story, call Marc Blau at
570-897-5459.
The Ladies Auxiliary of
the Mt. Bethel Volunteer
Fire Company in Mt.
Bethel is seeking new members and volunteers. If you
are interested and would like
further information, contact
Gail at 570-897-6293 or Kris
at 610-392-7975.
Parking space rentals are
availabe in five municipal
lots
throughout
the
Borough of Bangor. Always
have a space to park! Cost is
$40 per month or $100 for
three months. Call the

Borough office at 610-5882216 for more details.

NORWESCAPs Career
and Life Transitions Center
for Women is hosting a
collaborative
monthly
workshop called "At the
Table: Support, Information, Hope" with DeTorres
and DeGeorge, a local
family law attorney and
financial expert. We will be
collaborating to help women
navigate
through
the
challenges of untying the
knot. To be held at the
Career and Life Transitions
Center, 16 Broad Street in
Washington, starting on
Thursday, January 14th from
6pm to 8pm. For more information please call 908-8352624 or www.conleyc2norw
escap.org.
RE/MAX
Town
and
Valley is holding a holiday
collection for our troops
serving overseas. Not every
person gets to be home with
their families for the
holidays. Our soldiers overseas who fight daily to
protect our freedom, are the
people that aren't. Please take
a moment to purchase a small
item to put in the holiday
collection box. A few items
that are needed are shampoo,
conditioner,
chapstick,
deoderant, gum, candy,
magazines, DVD's, contact
solution, iTunes cards, decorations to make their homeaway-from-home festive or
anything else you think
would make a soldier happy
while away from home. The
collection box is located at
RE/MAX Town and Valley
in Hackettstown. Cash donations will be accepted as well
to purchase whatever the box
is lacking once the collection
is complete. For any ques-

tions, or if you want to make

a donation but would like
someone to pick it up, contact
Stephanie
Rucereto
at
srucereto@earth link.net.
Religious
education
classes at the Unitarian
Universalist Fellowship of
Sussex County have begun.
Children
ages
three
through 12 will participate
in a program called Sing
to the Power, which
includes lessons and activities that help children
explore ways they can use
their different forms of
personal power to effect
positive change in the
world. The classes are held
every Sunday from 10:30am
to noon in the fellowship hall,
located at One West Nelson
Street in Newton. For further
information, call 570-8282732
or
visit
www.
UUNewtonNJ.org.
Free exercise classes will
be held for adults at town
hall
in
Johnsonburg.
Classes are an hour long on
Monday and Wednesday at
10am, and Saturday at 9am;
or Tuesday, Thursday and
Friday at 4:45pm. For more
information, visit www.
frelinghuysennj.us/aerobics.h
tm, call Cathy at 908-8527426, or email cathy@cathy
baobean.com.
Public Notice: Pursuant to
the Open Public Meetings
Act, Chapter 231, P.L. 1975
and in accordance with
N.J.S.A. 40:20-75, notice is
hereby given that at the
Regular
Meeting
held
November 24th, the Board of
Chosen Freeholders of the
County of Warren took
action as follows: Scheduled
the Annual Reorganization
Meeting for Saturday, January 2nd, at noon, in court
room number one of the
Warren County Court House,
located at 413 Second Street,

in Belvidere.
Attention Warren County
Homeowners: The Local
Market Update as provided
by New Jersey REALTORS
shows
Warren
County
CLOSED home sales up 16.3
percent with the year to date
number being 792 (10/2014 10/2015). The Median Sales
price in 2014 was $237,000
and for 2015 is $254,000. An
increase of 7.2 perccent.
Great news for Warren
County. For more information on the statistics visit the
website at njar-public.stats.
10kresearch.com/docs/lmu/x
/WarrenCounty?src=map.
Public Notice: Pursuant to
the Open Public Meetings
Act, Chapter 231, P.L. 1975,
and in accordance with
N.J.S.A. 40:20-75, notice is
hereby given that at the
Regular
Meeting
held
December 9, 2015, the Board
of Chosen Freeholders of the
County of Warren took
action as follows: Scheduled

a Budget Meeting for

Wednesday, January 6, 2016
at 7pm; Scheduled a Budget
Meeting for Saturday, January 9, 2016 at 9am; Scheduled a Regular Meeting for
Wednesday, January 13,
2016 at 7pm. All meetings
will be held in the Freeholders Meeting Room, Wayne
Dumont, Jr. Administration
Building, 165 Route 519S, in
Belvidere.
ATTENTION READERS:
The PRESS Office, located
at 1 Broadway in Bangor will
be closed in observance of
the holidays from December
24th through January 4th. We
will re-open on Tuesday,
January 5th at 9am. Our
paper will be published on its
regular schedule during this
time (December 30th and
January 6th). Thank you for
your understanding and
cooperation. We wish you a
very Merry Christmas and a
healthy and prosperous new
year!

Adult Fiction: Bloom,

Amy: A Blind Man Can See
How Much I Love You;
Brosnan, Meredith: Mr.
Dynamite; Campbell, Bebe:
What You Owe Me; David,
Susan Page: Pieces Of The
Past; Dodge, Vera: Muslin
Mystery;
Hawthorne,
Nathaniel:
The
Scarlet
Letter; Hyde, Catherine:
Worthy; Lee, Harper: To Kill
A Mockingbird; Michaels,
Fern: Perfect Match; Peters,
Elizabeth: He Shall Thunder
In The Sky; Putnam, Cara:
Timeless Treasures; Roberts,
Nora: Red Lily; California
Dreams; Wilson, Susan: The
Dog Who Saved Me.
Adult
Non
Fiction:
Bowker, John Westerdale:
God A Brief History; Jackson, Laura: The Light
Between Us; Kast, Marlise
Elizabeth: Fodors Costa Rica
2015; Palin, Sarah: Good
Tidings And Great Joy;
Perino, Dana: And The Good
News Is; Sherrill, John: The

Hiding Place; Tee, Susanna:

Fish And Seafood Bible.
Large
Print
Fiction:
Bagshawe, Tilly: Sidney
Sheldons Angel Of The
Dark; Coulter, Catherine:
The Final Cut; Ellison, J.T.:
Edge Of Black; Gardner,
Lisa: Catch Me; Staub,
Wendy Corsi: Dying Breath.
Young Adult Fiction:
Noel, Alyson: Evermore;
Wells, H.G.: The War Of
The Worlds.
Junior Fiction: Alcott,
Louisa May: Little Women;
Osborne, Mary Pope: My
Secret War; Stevenson,
Robert Louis: Treasure
Island.
Junior Non Fiction: Hindley, Judy: The Usborne Time
Traveler.
DVDs: Good Day For It;
The Lion, The Witch, And
The Wardrobe; Macgyver
Season 1; 2; 3; Prince
Caspian And The Voyage Of
The Dawn Treader; The
Silver Chair.

Are you determined to quit

smoking for the New Year?
Do you want to know all
about a better alternative
right in your town? You need
to visit Rocs Diamond Vape
Shop in its new location on
Route 94. Chris Gentile is the
proud owner of this creative
shop right in the heart of
Blairstown. Chris has made it
his mission to provide the
best and safest products for
his customers. If you want to
learn more about the vaping
experience and how it can
work for you, you need to
visit Chris at RDV.
People are gaining their
health back. Some of the
benefits
of
e-cigs
vs
cigarettes are coughing much
less, better skin, less irritable
more energy, smelling better,
etc. Other perceived benefits
of vaping include less nausea,
improved sense of smell/taste
and better circulation. Smokers walk around all day
smelling disgusting while
vapers smell like cinnamon
buns, fruit loops, and cotton
candy. Sounds silly but you
also dont have to go outside
for a cigarette break when
you vape and come back
inside reeking of smoke.
Everyone that hates the smell

of smoke will thank you!

Vaping is a proven method
to help quit or drastically
reduce your smoking habits.
There are over 4,000 chemicals in one single cigarette
including 43 known cancercausing (carcinogenic) compounds and 400 other toxins.
This includes nicotine, tar,
and carbon monoxide, as well
as formaldehyde, ammonia,
hydrogen cyanide, arsenic,
and DDT. In contrast, ecigarettes are mostly comprised of Glycerin (found
naturally in vegetables),
Propylene Glycol (used commonly in asthma inhalers),
Food Grade Flavoring (used
in many foods) and Nicotine
(a stimulant which is not a
carcinogen, although it can be
highly addictive). For that
reason, almost all juices are
also available without any
nicotine.
Thats it. Four
simple ingredients and if you
decide to vape without nicotine youre down to three.
Something to note is that
when talking about e-liquid,
you should only use trusted
companies that produce their
liquid in sterile environments
in the USA and other countries with similar regulations
as we also do with our own

House Juice. Being educated

about the proper usage of
batteries, especially when
using sub ohm atomizers on
mechanical and unregulated
mods all things Chris teaches
on a daily basis.
Reputable vape supply/juice
companies have also done
their homework over the last
few years and made sure that
they use the safest of ingredients in their products. That
means they listened to
studies, reports and their
clientele to make their products the safest on the market.
Can big tobacco companies
make the same claim? Do
they research and make their
product better and non-toxic
for consumption?
RDV is another example of
research and demand. Chris is
very knowledgeable in his
craft and will work with you
to make sure that your experience of choosing the products
from mod box to e-liquid is
the very best one. Every day
he looks for new ways to
create a product that works
for each customer.
Vaping has come very far in
a short amount of time. There
are still questions about the
process and sometimes a
stigma
associated
with

anyone that wants to try it.

Keep in mind that unlike
cigarettes there is NO combustion (lighting) there is NO
smoke being inhaled, NO
second hand smoke to endanger others around the vaper.
Lets get down to the cost as
well the average smoker
goes through a pack of
cigarettes a day. Thats

around $56 dollars a week on

cigarettes alone. Vaping
however, after the setup, is a
fraction of that cost. For the
initial cost of a carton of
cigarettes, you could be on
your way to a safer and
cheaper way of life.
Nothing can be 100 percent
safe but relatively speaking,
vaping appears to be much
safer than cigarettes -which
have already been proven to

be deadly from long term use.

Everyone knows someone
that has died from lung
cancer due to smoking or
second hand smoke. Not to
mention
the
countless
accidental fires that have
been started by smoking a lit
cigarette vs vaping. In the end
the choice is up to the
consumer and making sure
vaping is the right alternative
for you.

By Jana Morris, MS, CAADC,

LPC

The holiday season, while it

can be a joyous time, can also
be a time of stress and chaos.
The stress and chaos can lead
people into abusing alcohol
and drugs. Many people have
legal and family issues
around the holidays that bring
them to need to reach out for
help. Individuals who are in
early recovery can have difficulty staying sober throughout the season. There are
many times alcohol and drugs
are associated with Thanksgiving, Christmas and New
Years Eve. For some, it will
be their first time since they

began using that they are

trying to stay sober for the
holidays.
Thoughts of
relapse are common throughout the holiday season. It is
important for individuals
trying to maintain sobriety to
reach out for help from their
support system or friends that
do not use drugs and alcohol.
A Clean Slate (100 S. 1st
Street) will be open on
Christmas Eve from 11am to
4pm, New Years Eve from
11am to 4pm, and New
Years Day from 1pm
to5pm.
Please stop by to check out
other holiday events for
people in recovery.

Celebrating Bangors 140th

Anniversary has
been a
rewarding experience. We
held monthly events at
various businesses downtown, highlighting the diversity and talents of our
business owners. All year
long, we have also been
celebrating the fact that
Bangor has been placed on the
National Register of Historic
Places. This is indeed a great
honor.
Bangors 140th Christmas,
held Friday, December 4th
and Saturday, December 5th,
was the final event for our
140th celebration. I wish to
thank all the businesses for
decorating so beautifully and
remaining open on Friday
from 5pm to 8pm for holiday

shopping. Thank you to

Trinity Lutheran Church
Choir for caroling and Bangor
Chiropractic for providing
refreshments. The Slate Belt
Heritage Center also opened
its doors both days.
On Saturday, Lorrie and Jim
Music performed at the
Broadway Pub. Thanks to
them for hosting the entertainment. Thank you to Baby
Harrys for hosting the visits
with Elsa and the M and M
candies jar. Also thank you to
Brays for hosting the Tolinos
winery and taking care of the
tickets for the free drawings
held Friday and Saturday.
Thank you to the following
businesses for donating prizes
for the drawings: Bono Pizza,
Broadway Pub, Eunikue

Fashions, Bangor Coins and

Collectibles, Bangor Chiropractic, China Wok, Main
Street
Market,
Bangor
General Store, Millers Paint
Store,
Dukes
Sporting
Goods, US Eyewear Inc.,
Borked PC, Baby Harrys,
Lydia Albert (handmade tree
skirt) and Sharon Davis, manager of SBCP.
A special thank you goes out
to Slate Belt Girl Scouts,
Troops 836, 874 and 41 for
decorating these businesses
respectively: Bono Pizza,
Dukes Sporting Goods,
Borked PC, and Brays News
Agency. Also, thank you to
seven troops from the Slate
Belt Girl Scouts for decorating our parking meters downtown. Everyone did a wonderful job.
On Saturday, December 5th,
at 2:45pm we had our closing
program at Bono Pizza,
announcing the winners of

Saturdays drawings; the store

front
decorating
by
businesses contest and the
store front decorating done by
the Boy Scouts and Girl
Scouts. Bono Pizza served us
delicious pizza and other
greast food. Thank you to
Bono Pizza for hosting the
program and for the great
refreshments.
I wish to thank the members
of the committee for all their
hard work; Lydia Albert,
Janet
Miller,
MaryAnn
Repsher, June and Sherk
Jones, Fae Fuks and Sharon
Davis, manager at SBCP.
We will be celebrating
Bangors 141st Christmas
next year!
Merry Christmas and Happy
New Year! God Bless
America!
Sincerely,
Bonnie J. LaBar - Chairperson of Bangors 140th Anniversary Committee.

Eight Bangor Area High

School
students
were
accepted into the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association District 10 Chorus.
Selected students are Maya
Ramautar, Elisha Hoyte,
Lauren
Steinert,
Kevin
Rutzler, Allison Strunk,
Kristofer Swanson, Amber
Ward, and Jaden Boyd. They
were among over 700
students who auditioned from
schools in the counties of
Berks, Carbon, Lehigh,
Monroe, Northampton, Pike,
and Schuylkill. Of that, 200

were selected to create the

District 10 Chorus.
The students will be traveling to Delaware Valley High
School, in Milford, to participate in the festival February
4th through 6th. While there,
they will work under the
direction of Dr. Raymond
Wise of Indiana University to
present two concerts to the
public. The students will also
be auditioning for the Region
V Chorus. One-half of the
District 10 participants will
move onto the Region V
level.

Q: I think my wife just experienced a terrible episode of

food poisoning. How can we
protect
ourselves
from
getting sick in the future?
A: Food poisoning can
really catch you off guard.
Symptoms can start suddenly
after eating germ-infected
food or drink, or they can
take several days to develop.
It depends on the cause of the
food-borne illness. Either
way, its usually a miserable
experience.
According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 50 percent
of food poisoning is caused
by eating foods from restaurants. If you find your stomach is very upset after eating
out, it may be due to some-

thing you ate. One way to tell

that you have food poisoning
is to find out if other people
who ate the same food also
got sick.
Food poisoning happens
when you eat or drink something contaminated during
the
food
preparation,
handling or storage process.
The most common culprits
are bacteria, such as Salmonella and E. coli, and viruses
and parasites. These harmful
organisms can get in meat,
chicken, fish, eggs, as well as
unwashed
salads
and
produce.
Common symptoms of food
poisoning include nausea,
vomiting, stomach cramps,
diarrhea and fever. As terrible
as that sounds, the symptoms
usually go away in a few
days. If you do develop food
poisoning, its important to
rest and drink plenty of fluids
(water, not coffee or sugary
drinks) to prevent dehydration.
Most people who develop
food poisoning experience a
mild episode. Medical treatment is usually not necessary,
but you should call your
doctor if symptoms last more
than 24 hours, diarrhea or
vomiting is very bad or you
have a fever of 102 degrees
or higher.
Each year, one in six Americans is sickened from
contaminated foods or beverages. Although common,

We have
Closing Kits,
Winter Covers
& Winter
Chemicals
r

908-362-6269
1028 Rt 94
in Marksboro

food poisoning can be

prevented. FoodSafety.gov
offers this advice on how to
safely handle food at home:
Clean. Always wash your
hands with warm, soapy
water before eating, and
before and after preparing
food. Keep utensils, cutting
boards and cooking surfaces
clean: use hot, soapy water
after each use and before
moving on to the next step of
food preparation. Rinse fruits
and vegetables thoroughly.
Sterilize dishcloths and
sponges in the hot cycle of
your washing machine and
dishwasher.
Separate. Keep raw meat,
poultry, seafood and eggs
separate in your refrigerator
and on cutting boards and
plates. Never put cooked
meat back on a platter that
held raw meat.
Cook. Cook all food
thoroughly. Use a meat
thermometer to make sure
that food is cooked to safe
internal temperatures (165
degrees F for poultry and 145
degrees F for red meat).
Chill. Keep your refrigerator below 40 degrees F. Put
perishable foods in the refrigerator or freezer within two
hours, and store leftovers
right away.
When in doubt, throw it out.
Its also important to
carefully select foods from
good sources, buy foods
before their expiration date

Left: The Pen Argyl cheerleaders amp up the schools spirit during half time.
Right: Jake Gillette drives the ball toward the basket for two of his game-high 14
points against Palisades. Photos by Dale Young/The PRESS
and avoid buying food items
in dented or bulging cans.
If you and your spouse eat
out a lot, choose restaurants
cautiously. Avoid consumption of raw or undercooked
foods such as eggs and meat.
You can also reduce your risk
of the illness by safely
handling food at home.
Victor Catania, M.D.,
specializes in family medicine. He practices at PMC
Physician
Associates
Primary Care in Toby-

hanna at the Mountain

Healthcare Center, at the
new location in Mountainhome.
Sources:

Nearly 50 percent of food

poisoning is caused from
restaurants and delis.
http://www.cdc.gov/features/d
sfoodborneoutbreaks/
Up to 80 percent of food
poisoning is related to eating
foods from a commercial
source.
http://www.cdc.gov/foodborn
eburden/attribution-1998-2008.html
CDC [Each year, one in six
Americans get sick from
contaminated foods or beverages]
http://www.cdc.gov/features/d
sfoodborneoutbreaks/

FDA [statistics]
http://www.fda.gov/food/reso
urcesforyou/consumers/ucm10
3263.htm
Foodsafety.gov
http://www.foodsafety.gov/
http://www.foodsafety.gov/kee
p/basics/clean/index.html
http://www.foodsafety.gov/poi
soning/causes/bacteriaviruses/
ecoli/
CDC
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/
dsFoodborneIllness/
USDA
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/
portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-sa
fety-fact-sheets/safe-food-han
dling/cleanliness-helps-preven
t-foodborne-illness/CT_Index
http://www.fightbac.org/

New Years Eve has historically been the one night of

the year that society accepts
and even promotes a prodrinking mentality. Excessive drinking is not only
assumed; it is encouraged
and promoted. It is almost
impossible to find an advertisement, billboards or commercial about New Years
Eve that doesnt include a
champagne glass.
Our
culture sends the message
that on New Years Eveeveryone drinks alcohol to
excess! Teens are among the
recipients of this message
and naturally want to emulate
what they see as the fun
way or the right way to
ring in the New Year. Underage drinking is always a

concern for the parent of any

teenager, but on New Years
Eve this concern is heightened. This year, The Coalition for Healthy and Safe
Communities, a program of
the Family Guidance Center
of Warren County, wants to
help teens and their parents to
celebrate the holidays safely
and without the use of
alcohol.
Too many people think
underage drinking is harmless or worse - safer if parents
are supervising the party or
the cars keys are taken away
from a youth that is drinking.
Doing so does not eliminate
the possibility of intoxication, alcohol poisoning and
other negative health consequences, said Liz Montalvo

from the Coalition.

The truth is, these actions
tell our youth that it is acceptable for them to drink. Consequently, when teens feel
they have their parents
approval to drink alcohol,
they tend to drink more
and more often outside the
home. What seemed harmless at first often results in
tragic consequences that
even parents dont anticipate.
What we permit- we
promote.
With all this in mind, the
Coalition has some suggestions for parents and adults to
keep teens safe during the
holiday season.
1. Host a New Years Eve
party at your house with NO
alcohol.

2. Research alcohol-free
events being held in your
Community.
3. If there is party or event
involved outside of the
home- get ALL the details of
the event! Speak directly to
those hosting the event.
4.
Communicate
your
expectations about drinking,
driving and drug use.
5. Create a plan with the
teen to keep them safe.
6. Act as a Role Model by
displaying the behaviors you
would want a teen to mimic.
7. And lastly, Dont be
afraid to say NO!
The Coalition for Healthy
and Safe Communities is
available to answer any questions pertaining to the
dangers or prevention of

On December 2nd, students

from Career Institute of
Technology in Forks Township volunteered their time at
Country Meadows in Bethlehem as part of a SkillsUSA
Community Service Project.
They spent the day decorating Christmas trees, setting
up a silent auction and assisting residence with their
tickets, baking, playing
games and spreading holiday
cheer throughout the halls
and lobbies. Students from
fifteen CIT programs participated and donated items to
the Nursing & Rehabilitation
Center located on Green
Pond Road. The project was
coordinated by Gwen Farkas,
Director of Community Life
at Country Meadows and the
CIT Community Service
participants.
In addition to volunteering,
SkillsUSA CIT Ambassadors
promoted their idea to
include all CITs programs in
the project and donate items
made in class. Emma Wortman, a student in the CIT
Culinary Arts program and
Bangor High School delivered cookies that her class
baked prior to the visit. Josh

OBryon, a student from the

Building Construction Technology Program and Bangor
High School, constructed
decorative wooden sleighs.
Other programs donated
hand-made holiday cards,
machine crafted candle
sticks, holiday posters, and
personal care kits to name a
few.
When asked about her
experience of the community

service, Emma Wortman

said, It seems as though
residents dont get visitors
very often, so it made them
smile for young people to
visit and spend the day.
Susan Day, CITs SkillsUSA
Schoolwide Advisor, commented that students really
enjoyed the day with the
residents of Country Meadows. An experience like
this, provides a lesson we

cannot teach in the classroom.

State of the Arc Welding is

volunteering its skills to the
historic slate quarry hoist
thats being brought back to
the Slate Belt. We had read a
newspaper article about the
hoist being located and
restored and decided to offer
our services. My family own
and operate one of the last
slate mines in the Slate Belt,
so I thought it would be
fitting for State of the Arc to
offer our services.
My grandparents Henry and
Ruth founded the Capozzolo
Slate Mine in the 1950s and
their children carry on the
traditional method of mining
the slate from the quarry.
Using skills from days past
they craft the stone from the
quarry into everyday items
such as drinks coasters and
turkey callers. They are part
of a dying breed and after
they are gone so will the
industry that gave our area its
name.
The hoist was built in
Bangor in 1900 and used for
80 years until it was put into

storage, as local economies

changed. It has been procured
by industrial historian Mike
Piersa, a volunteer with the
Slate Belt Community Partnership (SBCP). With the help of
volunteers they intend to bring
the hoist back to Bangor to
become a central part of the
Downtown Historic District.
The hoists were a modern
marvel for their time, and used
to haul the huge chunks of
slate, weighing up to five tons,
that were mined from the quarries. The slate was carried to
the surface where it was
broken down into the items we
use every day.
Preserving the heritage and
history of our industrial past,
for future generations of
Bangor residents seems important to me. I hope for many
years to come people will see
what their forbearers did to
create our beautiful town.
State of the Arc Welding
wishes everyone in Bangor
and Beyond happy holidays
and a prosperous 2016.
Mike and Tansy Baird

State Rep. Joe Emrick (RNazareth) is offering the men

and women of the 137th
Legislative District who
serve and have served our
country an opportunity to get
assistance with individual
issues through his district
office.
Approximately
20,000
veterans live in Northampton
County, Emrick said. What
were providing each month
is a chance to get answers to
questions they may have, as
well as check out programs
for which they may be
eligible.

Gina Svoboda from the

Pennsylvania
American
Legion is available the first
Monday of every month,
from 10am to 2pm, in
Emricks Nazareth district
office, located at 134 South
Main Street. Appointments
may be set up by calling 570897-0401 or 610-746-5090.
Emrick would also like to
remind Forks Township
residents of the chance they
have to discuss state government issues.
A member of my staff will
be at the Forks Township
Community Center, 500

Zucksville Road, the first and

third Thursday of every
month from 9am to noon and
1 to 5pm, added Emrick.
Feel free to stop by and have
your legislative questions
answered.
The 137th District consists
of the townships of Forks,
Lower Mount Bethel, parts of
Palmer (Middle 1, Upper East
and Upper West), Upper
Mount Bethel, Upper Nazareth, and Washington; and the
boroughs of Bangor, East
Bangor, Nazareth, Portland,
Roseto, Stockertown and
Tatamy.

It is becoming all too

common. Someone, or a few,
work their way into a school,
a business, a restaurant, or a
happy occasion party or
concert with guns blazing.
Before you know it several
are killed or injured.
It could be a terrorist
attack, someone with a
grudge, or maybe someone
simply with a mental problem. Unfortunately such
incidents have become all
too common, and as we now
know, they happen everywhere.
The Hope Area Chamber of
Commerce will be hosting
an Active Shooter Awareness event on Tuesday, January 12th, from 8am to 10am,
at the Inn at Millrace Pond.
William Eppell, Chief of

Staff of the Warren County

Prosecutor's Office, along
with Independence Township Police Chief Dennis
Riley, will conduct this
important presentation.
The event is open to chamber members and any interested business person in the
region.
An active shooter is defined
as
person(s)
actively
engaged in killing or
attempting to kill people in a
confined and other populated area. In most cases,
active shooters use firearms
and there is no pattern or
method to their selection of
victims. Active Shooter
situations are unpredictable
and
happen
quickly.
Individuals must be prepared
both mentally and physically

to take action in order to deal

with an active shooter.
Everyone
should
be
prepared to help prevent and
prepare for potential active
shooter situations. This
presentation is intended to
provide
guidance
to
individuals and to help them
prepare and respond to an
active shooter event.
Cost to attend the event is
$15 per person, which
includes a continental style
breakfast.
Interested attendees are
encouraged to call in advance
to reserve your spot as space
is limited. Payment can be
made at the door. You can
call the Inn at Millrace Pond
directly at 908-459-4884 or
email
dan@chpcomm
unications.com.

Ciao Amici,
This story I wrote in 2009
may be before some readers
knew about growing up in
the butcher shop...
Christmas Day was such a
special day while growing up
in the butcher shop. Since the
front of the house was the
store,
my
grandparents
would stay open for a while
just in case someone would
need something. The food
we enjoyed on Christmas
day was prime rib; quite a
contrast from all the fish
from the previous day. With

the wonderful aroma of the

beef roasting we did not need
scented candles to know that
Christmas day was here.
Like most children, I
enjoyed opening presents.
Back then gifts were modest
and kept simple. I remember
being more excited with
sharing them with my friends
than having them for myself.
Christmas was really about
the birth of Christ, not
presents. In Italy, presents
are exchanged on the Feast
of the Epiphany.
One Christmas Day a
blizzard fell upon the town
of Roseto. I recall looking
through the large windows in
front of the store and seeing
the snow piled so high that
half of the windows were
covered. As we sat down to
have our antipasto and prime
rib dinner, a knock came
from the side door. It was
someone from the neighborhood. My grandfather was
concerned
and
thought
maybe there was an emer-

gency.
Is every thing alright,
Grandpop asked.
Yes, she said.
Then how I can help you?
She said, I need a pound of
chopped meat.
My grandfather asked,
Where to do you normally
buy your ground beef?
She replied, The Acme.
Grandpop said, Well
please go there and buy it
today. Grandmom was
listening and told the lady to
come in.
I will help you, she said.
The lady came though the
house and into the store.
Grandmom put her apron on
and asked her how much she
needed. The lady said a
pound.
So
Grandmom
ground the meat for her, gave
it to her, then took her hand
and said, Remember where
you got this. The lady
became a customer for life.
My moms family from
Italy, Toronto, Hamilton and
Washington always called to

wish us a Buon Natale. I

could tell how much my mom
missed them, but what are
you gonna do? Distance may
keep us apart; however, it can
not come between us.
Chi trova un amico, trovo un
tesoro / He who finds a
friend, finds a treasure
Buon Natale
Merry Christmas
Best Regards / Con cordiali
saluti
Joe and Joelene and family
Growing up in the Butcher
Shop, is available at the
shop or on our web page. To
receive menu specials and
our newsletter, join our mailing list at JDeFrancoAnd
Daughters.com, click on
mailing list and enter your
email. Send your Roseto
stories, recipes and comments to portipasto@epix.net
or call 610-588-6991. J.
DeFranco and Daughters is
located at 2173 W. Bangor
Rd. in Bangor, PA. Store
hours are 7am to 7pm, seven
days a week, with catering
available anytime or by
appointment.

Hello, fellow readers!

Tis a few days before Christmas and all through the valley,
folks are scrambling like
lunatics with their last minute
rally. The stockings all hung
by the chimney with care. In
hopes that St. Nicholas soon
would be there. Santa coming
sure would take the pressure
off!
Don't you love all the funny
Christmas poem and carol
twists? Theres the 12 Pains of
Christmas by Bob Rivers,
describing the 12 things of
Christmas, thats such a pain
to me such as finding a
Christmas tree, rigging up the
lights, hangovers, sending
Christmas cards; leading to the
crescendo of five months of
bills. Or the Redneck version
that, instead of five golden
rings, features five flannel
shirts (I love flannel shirts)
and ends with two hunt-in
dogs and some parts to a Mustang GT.
Christmas songs are played
over and over in every public
place starting as early as

Halloween. Typically only the

secular ones so as not to show
favoritism. No wonder Christmas songs are worn out by
now and so are we. I look
forward to hearing the true
songs of the season, such as O
Holy Night, Silent Night, and
The First Noel, which seem
few and far between and are
never worn out.
Shopping, wrapping, baking,
and running about. Its kind of
like the mad dash to wrap up
the gardening season and the
loads of leaf cleanup. But at
the end of it all comes the long
winters nap from gardening,
which I thoroughly enjoy
(Shhhhh). This fall is lingering and there are still perennials to cut back and no snow to
cover up the evidence I have
yet to get the job done. Im
late
decorating
winter
window boxes and pots, too;
garnishing them with cuttings
from the property and side of
the road remnants I've been
known to pick up.
Because of the warmth and
drought this year, don't forget
to water your woody family
outside weekly, especially the
evergreens, until the ground
freezes. And, you still have
time to apply Wilt-pruf to
prevent transpiration; the loss
of water from plant parts
particularly leaves that can
wreak havoc on plants during
cold windy spells. Winter will
come and when it does I
suspect it will arrive in a
gusto.
Wishing you a very Merry
Christmas and hope you
reflect on the true meaning of
the season, which is universal
to all - its all about love.
Garden dilemmas?
askmarystone.com.

(NAPSI)Giving
your
home personality and adding
a dash of character can be
achieved easily and affordably with small paint projects.
The experts at Dutch Boy
Paint are a great resource for
unique project ideas and helpful how-tos that will assist
you with transforming your
space into a haven that
reflects your personality and
style.
1. The Grand Entrance:
Personalize your front door
by painting it an unexpected
hue. It will bring character
and personality to your home
and offer fresh curb appeal.
Color expert Sue Wadden
suggests a stately shade, such
as red or purple, to wake up a
simple cottage-style door and
accentuate a front garden. A
bold yellow hue that has
warmer undertones can energize an otherwise neutral
exterior, and a bright pop of
orange makes for an unexpected statement.
Complement your newly
painted front door with colorful, eye-catching address
numbers. Choose a color that
complements the front door
or a contrasting hue that
offers an interesting accent.
Numbers may be painted
directly onto the door or a
section of siding.
2. Make a Splash: The
kitchen is the perfect place to
have some fun with color
since its often the communal
area of a home. Instead of
traditional tile, cook up a
scene-stealing
space
by
giving your backsplash a
makeover. Stencil in a design,
favorite quote or foodinspired words.
Dont forget to consider the

other colors at play in the

space before selecting the
backsplash paint color. If the
kitchen has dark cabinets,
choose a lighter shade to keep
the room from feeling heavy.
For white or light-color
cabinets, both brighter and
darker paint colors work well
for this space; and for a pop
of brightness thats also
durable and stain resistant,
use Dutch Boy Platinum
Paint in semi-gloss.
If you have the whole weekend, further customize your
kitchen by painting the island
a hue that complements the
other colors in the room. If
youd like to keep the space
neutral, select a subtle shade
for the island such as cream,
beige or gray. Or, if youre
looking to be a bit more
daring, choose a shade such
as turquoise, navy blue or
mint. A striking color will
make the room feel fun and
inviting. You can also incorporate the island color in a
few new accessories such as a

rug, curtains or dishware to

create a feeling of harmony
throughout the room.
3. Rethink your Wardrobe:
For an element of surprise,
paint the interior of your
closet. A vibrant shade will
dress up your everyday
routine and give your wardrobe an exceptional room of
its own!
4. More to Adore: Make a
personal statement in the
bedroom by transforming
walls into exceptional works
of art.
Instead of adorning walls

with framed artwork, paint a

multicolored diamond or
chevron pattern for an unexpected pop of color. A frame
wall with favorite pictures or
prized album covers centered
in painted blocks puts a spin
on the traditional. Or create
big-time graphic impact with
an oversized DIY wall clock.
Add perceived dimension to
a room by creating nontraditional stripes with three or
even four colors. Angled
stripes painted in different
widths are less structured and
provide a unique design, and
an exaggerated single stripe
of color can rescue plain
walls.
A
headboard
painted
directly onto the wall creates
an element of decorative
surprise in the bedroom, and
a stenciled one can add
definition and polish. Choose
from a premade design, such
as a rectangle or whimsical
silhouette, or create your
own. No matter the shape, a
bold hue or using two shades
of the same color are both
visually interesting and
impactful.
With Dutch Boy Paints
unique paint project ideas and
wide variety of paint colors
and finishes, the possibilities
of creating a distinct identity
for your home that embodies
your personality and lifestyle
are easy.
Check out the store locater
on DutchBoy.com to find
your closest retailer.
Learn More
For even more ideas and
inspiration,
visit
www.
dutchboy.com/inspiration or
find Dutch Boy Paint on
Facebook, YouTube and
Pinterest.

East
Bangor
UMCC
Family Christmas Eve
Service: 7pm. 136 W.
Central Ave. (Rt. 512), East
Bangor. FMI, call 610-5884453
or
visit
www.
ebumc.org.
Moving for Better Balance
Tai Chi session: December
30th-March 4th. Registration: December 29th. 10
week program designed for
older adults, helps w/
balance & prevents falls, by
learning proper weight shifting, postural alignment, &
coordinated flowing movements. The class will be held
twice a week on Wednesday
& Friday, from 1:30pm2:30pm. FMI, contact Deborah Lang at 570-421-2525
ext. 139 or
email
dlang@poconoymca.org.
New Years Day Pork &
Sauerkraut Dinner: January 1st: 1pm-4pm. Belfast
Wesley UMC, 607 School
Rd., Nazareth. Children
under 3 free. FMI, call Tom
at 610-863-7772.
Marine

Corps

League

Meeting: January 6th, 1900

hours.
Northampton Co.,
1621 Lehigh St., Easton. All
active duty and honorably
discharged
Marines
welcome. FMI, email jim
mineousmc @rcn.com
East Bangor UMCC Financial Peace University Class:
January 9th, 1pm. 136 W.
Central Ave. (Rt. 512), East
Bangor. FMI or to register,
contact Becky Saltern at
rebeccaasaltern@aol.com or
610-739-4024,
or
visit
ebumc.org.
Slate Belt Heritage Center
Monthly Historic Presentation: January 10th, 2pm.
The Heritage Center, 30
North 1st St., Bangor.
Speaker: Curator & President
Melissa Hough. Her topic
will be The Early Settlers of
the Slate Belt: The ScotsIrish. Learn how these "little
known" Scots-Irish who
settled here, before the
famous
Pennyslvania
German's (PA Dutch), made
an impact on the area and
what their lives was like. The
event is free (donations
accepted) and open to the
public. FMI, call Karen
Brewer at 610-588-8615.

Families First Snow Ball

Dinner & Dance Fundraiser: January 23rd,
6pm-midnight.
Weona
Park Recreation Center, Pen
Argyl. BYOB. Casual attire.
FMI or tickets, call 610863-9095, ext. 1308
Benefit
for
Daniele
Demler: January 24th,
12pm-6pm. Little Creek
Bar-B-Cue, 1004 Washington Blvd., Bangor. 80% of
the days profits will benefit
Daniele Demler, former
Slate Belt resident who was
severely injured in October
when she was struck by a
motorcycle. FMI, call Little
Creek Bar-B-Cue at 610588-3831.

First UMC of Blairstown

Christmas Eve Services:
7pm - Family worship
service with candlelight &
11pm - A prayer filled worship service w/ candlelight
and communion. 10 Stillwater Rd., Blairstown. FMI,
visit
www.first
umcblairstown.com, www.
facebook.com/fumcblairsto
wn, or call 908-362-6693.

Read to a Dog at the

Warren
Co.
Library:
December 29th, 4:30pm5:30pm. 2 Shotwell Dr.,
Belvidere. Registration reqd
& space is limited. Register
at warrenlib.org. FMI, call
Lina Crowell at 908-4756017.
Teen New Years Party:
December
30th,
1pm.
Grades 5 & up. Registration
reqd.
Sign-up
at
warrenlib.org or call 908475-6322.
Paulinskill Valley Trail
Committee 31st Annual
New Years Day Group
Hike: January 1st, 10am.
Footbridge Park, Blairstown.
Hike will be 4-5 mi. The
trail is cinder-based, which
provides easy, level walking.
Bring lunch & a drink.
Because both the Sussex
Branch & Paulinskill Valley
Rail Trails are in some
places adjacent to public or
private hunting areas, please
wear an upper garment that
is either blaze orange or a
bright, non-natural color.
FMI,
visit
www.pvtckvsp.org.
NORWESCAPs Career &
Life Transitions Center for
Women Confidence Building Program Empowerment for New Beginnings:
January 5th, 9:30am2:30pm. 6-session program
includes a job readiness
workshop & will be offered
at the Career & Life Transitions Center. FMI, call 908835-2624.
Ridge & Valley Charter
School Open House: January 13th, 8:30am. 1234 Rt.
94, Blairstown. FMI or to
register, call 908-362-1114.